The Israelites in the Wilderness: Part I

Parts of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers 11

The children of Israel had walked and walked for many, many days through the hot wilderness. Many things had happened. For one thing, a big, beautiful church had been made. Moses had been told by the Lord how it was to be made. This big church was called a tabernacle. Really, it was a lot like a tent, because it could be picked up and moved when the people moved. But what a beautiful “tent” it was! And it was made exactly as God wanted it made.

Aaron and his sons were the priests in this tabernacle. A priest was like an office-bearer in the church, except he would make sacrifices to God on an altar for all the people. We don’t do that today, do we? And the Levites were the ones who were in charge of putting the tabernacle up and taking it down whenever the children of Israel moved.

The people walked and walked. They still followed the cloud which went before them. When it stopped, they stopped. When it began to move, they moved. They knew this cloud showed them the way in which God would have them go.

But the children of Israel were just like you and me. They were not always happy. They did not stay content with what God had given them. Aren’t we the same?

“Why do we have to eat manna, manna, MANNA all the time?” the people grumbled. “We are so sick of it! Remember back in Egypt? Remember all the things we had to eat there? We had so much! We had fish, and cucumbers, and melons, and fruit, and — my, there was so much! Now, all we get is this manna, manna, manna!”

The people grumbled and grumbled, day and night. Finally Moses became tired of it all, and turned to God.

“Why do I have to be the one to lead these people?” he complained. “I’m not their father. If I were, I’d have to take care of them. But I’m not, and I just can’t lead them anymore. It is just too hard. It is just too much for me.”

But God knew how to help Moses. He told him to find seventy men among the Israelites. “These men can help you lead the people,” God said, “and you won’t have to bear them all alone.”

But God was angry with the people, too, for all their complaining. “I will give them the meat they want,” He said. “I will give them as much as they want! They will have to eat it day after day after day, until they get sick of it. Then they will remember their God.”

What is YOUR favorite food? Spaghetti? Pancakes? Macaroni? Just think what it would be like to have this food at each meal every day. Spaghetti for breakfast. Spaghetti for lunch. Spaghetti for supper. And again tomorrow. And the next day. And on and on for a long time. Well, I’ll tell you, at first you might love spaghetti or pancakes or macaroni, but by the last day you will not like it a bit!!

And that is how God was going to punish the children of Israel. They would get just what they wanted, until they were sick of it.

“But where is the meat going to come from?” asked Moses. “Are we supposed to kill our cows and sheep to get it?”

But God said, “Cannot I take care of such things? You will see what will happen.”

And later that day something happened. A big wind came up. The wind blew hundreds and hundreds of birds called quails among the tents. There were so many dead quails that they fell in piles on the ground.

How happy the people were! Now they had some meat! Now they had something to eat besides that terrible manna. Quickly they grabbed the dead birds! — more and more and more until their arms were full. As soon as they could, they stuffed them in their mouths, ready for the delicious taste!

But then something happened. The people began to drop to the ground, dead. God had punished them for their grumbling. Maybe God had made the birds sick, for the Bible tells us that “while the flesh was between their teeth, before it was even chewed,” the people were struck down by the Lord.

Not all of the people died. Some had not eaten the quail. But I’m sure those who lived were so stunned that they stopped their complaining. Now they saw what a powerful God their God was!

The people never forgot what had happened. They called that place a special name.

I hope we can learn to be content, to be happy, with what we have. Always remember that if we do not appreciate what we have, God could — and MAY — take it away from us. Our homes, our Bibles, our food, and even our health — how thankful we should always be to have them!

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